


Operation QC

by MacandLacy



Category: Bohemian Rhapsody (Movie 2018) Actor RPF, Queen (Band)
Genre: "M" and "Q" from the 007 James Bond universe, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Kidnapping, Mild Language, Non-Graphic Violence, Queen's Secret Service, Talk of threats against children, bodyguards
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-04
Updated: 2019-02-11
Packaged: 2019-10-22 12:03:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 14,265
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17662286
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MacandLacy/pseuds/MacandLacy
Summary: Ben is kidnapped, and the long-secret “Operation QC” goes into effect.  Seriously, never underestimate over-protective BAFM Queen Dads (and Queen's Secret Service).Gift Fic for MichaelMyersGirl to fit in her  "Ben Hardy-Hurt/Comfort One-Shots " Universe.Modern Time setting.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [MichaelMyersGirl](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MichaelMyersGirl/gifts).



> Gift fic to MichaelMyersGirl for letting me play yet again in her fantastic "Ben Hardy-Hurt/Comfort One-Shots Universe" and to commentator ”Rogerina” for the amazing prompt of Ben getting kidnapped. I do so hope they will both write their own versions in the future; this is just my humble take on it.
> 
> Not betaed, so please forgive typos.

“No, no, no!” Rami screamed, pounding his fits onto the table yet again in the makeshift office at the on-site movie set. Gwilym and Joseph were beside him, looking equally distraught. “You fucking police!” Rami continued, rating at the top of his voice. “Yes, there are sign of foul play? Yes, you are taking it seriously? Is that is the fucking best you can do?”

Not to brag, but Rami was the best known of the group who were playing Queen and he had dealt with his fair share of cyber stalkers while filming Mr. Robot. But never to this level. He could tell something was very, very, wrong. And the police, as kind as they were, were doing nothing.

While every sign pointed to that Ben had been kidnapped.

Ben had not shown on set at the very early appointed time while they were filing on location at the farm. When people went to look for him, there was blood and signs of vicious fight in his trailer. How the fuck had he been taken basically right off the set?

“No, he would not just disappear!” Even Gwilym and his usual epic calm were at the breaking point. The police kept asking if Ben had any reason to disappear. Bryan Singer had openly hinted that Ben may have cracked under pressure and taken off, and then muttered that Ben had gone out and gotten drunk and was probably lying in a ditch somewhere. That had even seasoned professional Joe Mazzello, who had grown up in the business and had heard just about everything, trying to punch the director. Thank God someone had pulled the director aside before it escalated even more than it had. Local police had finally arrived but already hours had passed. No one had seen Ben since early the night before.

Ben, their best friend Ben, was missing, and even the police were finally murmuring the words ‘kidnapped’. There had been a copious amount of blood found in his trailer along with signs of a fight. Whatever had happened, Ben had not gone willingly. 

“Fuck you all,” Joe raged, getting up in the face of the police detective’s impassive face. “Ben had no reason to ‘take off’. We all said goodnight and went to our trailers; he did not leave the set; his damn car is here! And your God damned DNA analysis already shows that its Ben’s blood type that you found in his trailer - we heard the report! And the blood of at least two other people! He’s been fucking kidnapped and you know it!”

“We are not saying that he hasn’t,” the young police detective said, apologetically. “It’s just that without further proof—”

“What more fucking proof do you need?” Gwilym screamed. “A ransom note? No one has seen him since 10 PM last night. It’s been over 10 hours now!”

“Under law, we must wait 48 hours to file a missing person report for an adult,” the detective said helplessly, “though given the evidence of possible foul play, we can rush it, of course. But for now—” she tailed off helplessly. “We are checking every possible security camera and talking to everyone on set,” she finished weakly.

“Yeah, fuck that,” said a new voice, and Rami, Gwi, and Joe all turned in relief at the familiar voice. Roger Taylor, looking reading to kill, and Brian May, looking only slightly less homicidal, had entered the office and effortlessly took control.

Without thought, Rami, Gwi, and Joe automatically went to certain men. Gwi had obviously bonded to Brian from day one, emulating the man that he was reenacting. Ben had been absorbed by Roger, the older man taking on his younger self effortlessly. That had left Rami and Joe without solid anchors and the first meeting between the six of them had left Rami and Joe feeling slightly adrift as the people that they were portraying were not available. But Roger had taken Rami under his wing like a long-lost son, perhaps because of the bond Roger had shared with Freddie, and Brian had adopted Joe on the spot, standing in for John. Now, sadly, Roger had only Rami in his arms while Gwi and Joe clung to Brian. One of their group was missing.

“Mr. Taylor, Mr—Dr. May,” the police detective said respectfully, honestly trying to do her best with the unexpected situation. Brian spared her only the briefest glance.

“There is more than ample evidence under law,“ Brian practically sneered at the detective, “that a crime has taken place. Ben has no enemies and no indication or history that he would stage any sort of disappearance. You found blood and signs of a fight in his trailer. This is a clear kidnapping. We have brought our own people in now take control of the situation since you are obviously incapable. We expect full cooperation with our team.” He gestured behind him, and for the first time, Rami, Gwi, and Joe noticed a large group of people standing behind the two members of Queen. 

“These are fully licensed professional investigators, and you are now dealing with them,” Brian continued. One of the women standing behind Brian smiled at the police, and it was not a nice smile. When she glanced at Joe, though, her expression softened considerably, and the actor was not ashamed that he breathed a sigh of relief that she was not focused on him. Quite frankly, she reminded him a velociraptor, only too happy to be put on the scent of something to tear apart.

There was also something else that made Joe a bit taken aback. He had spent time with the military while filming “The Pacific” and now every vibe deep in his bones told him that these were people not to be messed with. Calm, gentle, Brian – Dr. May – now looked like a general ready to lead troops into battle, and every trace of his usual gentleness was gone. The only one looking scarier than Brian was Roger. 

“And since it also fucking clear as day that this set is incapable of protecting the actors, we are taking the boys. Work with our team if you need to speak to them. Otherwise, fuck off,” Roger snapped. His tone softened as he looked to the young actor in his arms. “Come on Rami,” he said gently. “We are going to let our folks do their work. In the meantime, we need to get you somewhere safe.”

“Ben’s not safe,” Gwi protested, tears in his eyes. He didn’t want to leave the set without Ben. It didn’t seem right.

“We are going to find Ben,” Brian assured him. “Now come on, lad, let’s get you, Rami, and Joe safe, alright? Rog and I will feel better knowing you are safe.”

Dazed and heartbroken, the young actors let the older men guide them from the set and to a waiting van. Gwi wiped his eyes, and saw that the group of 5 men – 3 actors and 2 rock legends – were now surrounded and obviously protected by a sub group of those who had followed Roger and Brian onto the set. Exchanging glances with Joe and Rami, he saw that they were equally confused, but all three followed the directions of the older men, knowing they could trust them. They all piled into a van, and Brian and Roger made sure that the three actors were safe and secure in a row in the center of the vehicle. The older men turned bucket seats around so they could face the young actors while two more presumed body guards took up places in the driver and front passenger seats. 

“It’s alright,” Brian assured them. “We are going to find Ben. We are also going to get you to a safe place.”

Roger checked his phone as a driver started the van. “Operation acknowledged,” he said quietly to Brian. The guitarist nodded at the news.

“John’s ready?”

“Yeah, he’s got it all under control.”

Joe couldn’t help up look at the name. John? John Deacon? Who else could Brian and Roger be talking about?

“Brian?” Gwi looked at the older man. “What is going on?” He was terrified for Ben, but now equally confused as to what was happening. He, Rami, and Joe were clinging to each other in desperation and it broke their hearts to know that one of them was missing.

“Operation QC,” Brain said with a sad smile. “Let’s get you safe, and then I promise we will explain.”

The driver hit the gas, and the van left the movie set in the center of a stream of cars.

***

An hour later they pulled up behind a large, but fairly nondescript house. Through the heavily tined windows of the van, Rami, sitting beside the window, could just barely make out the tall trees and hedges surrounding the large yard before the van turned onto some side service road and within seconds was in a nearly hidden garage. A heavy door slammed down behind the van, and Rami exchange nervous looks with Gwi and Joe as the sliding door of the van was opened by a stern looking man. 

“Sirs,” he nodded at Roger and Brian as they exited the van. He also nodded politely at the young actors who weren’t quite sure what to do. 

“Come on lads, it’s alright,” Roger said. He took Rami’s arm and helped him from the van while Brian coaxed out Gwi and Joe. The musicians went to a heavy door that opened to a set of stairs going down. “Down we all go,” Roger said, leading the group down the long flight into a basement.

The younger men blinked as they entered into a spacious basement main living room, filled with comfortable furniture and a large kitchenette on one side of the room. A side door opened and out stepped someone that none of them had thought they would ever meet.

“Thank God you’re safe,” John Deacon said.

*****

Roger and Brian went to hug their bandmate while Rami, Gwi and Joe could only stare in shock. John? The one remaining member of Queen who had retired from the life decades ago was now standing in a basement with them? Without quite realizing it, the three actors remained huddled together.

“Any news?” Roger asked his former bandmate, his voice strained. John shook his head.

“Nothing of note since the last update, but progress is being made,” he said calmly. He then looked at the three young men. “I guess its time for introductions, isn’t it?”

Joe recovered first. “Um….yeah. Hello, Mr. Deacon,” he managed, trying very hard to not let his voice crack. Between the shock of Ben’s kidnapping and now this, he didn’t trust himself to say much more. Rami and Gwilym seemed to have similar thoughts and could only nod and politely shake hands. 

Fortunately, John smiled, and it helped lighten the mood as much as was possible given the circumstances. “Please call me Deaky,” he said, casting a small smile at Roger and Brian. “Trust me, these two do, and I sometimes forget to answer to ‘John’ when they’re around.”

“He really does forget,” Roger helpfully assured them.

Okay, this was too stressful for words. Rami hugged himself, feeling on the verge of a panic attack, and Roger was quick to guide the actor to a nearby couch. “Come now, everyone, gather around and let’s talk, alright? Let’s answer some of your questions.” Brian took Gwi and John led Joe to sit beside Rami.

“First, we don’t any real news on Ben,” John said, “but there are leads that are being followed. We should know something soon.”

“Who were those people who came to the set? And what is this place?” Rami asked.

John sighed. “A bunker, for lack of a better word,” he said. “A safe area.”

“For who?” Gwi asked. It was warm in the room, but the shock was getting to the younger men, and Brian found blankets to wrap around each of them.

“For our families,” Brian said quietly. He ran his hands over his face. “Kidnapping was all the rage for a time. We lived with the threat 24/7. It was one thing for us – grown men – to endure, but when we started to have families, we had to do something to give them more protection. As you saw earlier, the police are sometimes too restricted by rules to be able to do anything at all.”

“But we weren’t restricted,” Roger continued. “Early on, we hired folks with ‘special skill sets’, as they call them now. People we can trust. Ex-military most of them. And they don’t tend to be restricted by damn rules or protocol.”

“We made safe places in all our homes and at recording studios, and kept them up to date, adding in new technology,” John added. “If there was a threat, or something happened, then everyone went to the nearest safe place. So when Ben was taken today, Operation QC went into effect.”

“QC?” Gwi questioned.

John smiled a little. “Queen Children,” he said softly. “Freddie came up with the name. He was so protective. I know he would consider you to be our children now, just like we do. The rest of our families are in safe places as well. It seems to be aimed at you four, or at the movie, but right now we aren’t taking any chances. We never do. Some of the shit threats—“ he broke off and just shook his head.

“So now we are all staying here, safe, until Ben is found,” Brian interjected, rubbing Rami’s shoulders. “We have some of the best people in the world looking for Ben, I promise. They'll find him.”

“I’ll go check in,” John said, a tad quickly, looking like he was glad for something to do. He went back to the side room he had emerged from, and Brian and Roger went back to fussing over their adopted sons.

The next couple of hours were nearly surreal to the actors. Rami and Joe could barely keep tears back, and Gwi bit his lip so hard that it bled. Brian suggested that they lie down in one of the bedrooms that were located in the spacious basement, but all three refused, wanting to stay close to the office that John had been in before they arrived. It was obvious that it was some sort of command center as they could occasionally hear voices coming through the closed door. Roger, Brian, and John took turns, one of them staying with the boys and two in the command area. Ben was the one who would have likely snooped around, curious as always, but his friends had no heart for it. They just wanted all four of them to be back together.

So, as a compromise, Brian and Roger settled the three actors on one of the couches in the living area, and kept them bundled in blankets, providing tea and comfort. Rami went into one of the bathrooms and did start to cry at one point, nearly collapsing on the floor, and Brian helped him back to the couch.

It had been an extremely early morning call at the set, and even though it was just now past noon, the younger men were exhausted from the stress and fear for what their friend could be going through. Brian, Roger, and John kept going in and out the side room, talking quietly with folks inside and amongst themselves. But one of them was always with the three actors, helping to keep them as calm and grounded as possible.

Rami and Gwi eventually dozed off, giving into the stress and shock, but Joe, sitting on the edge of the couch while Rami was in the center and Gwi on the other side, was afraid to close his eyes, afraid to miss anything. When Brian came to sit with them, Joe looked the man who had unofficially adopted him on the set. “Brian, can I ask you something?” he asked tentatively, his voice soft to not disturb his friends. 

“Of course, anything.” Brian said, sitting on a stuffed chair beside him. He put a long arm around Joe and it helped to center the actor.

“I don’t want to pry,” Joe said, “but something that John said earlier…..some of the threats you guys got were pretty bad, weren’t they? I wouldn’t ask, but John had such a look on his face, and this…..this setup is pretty elaborate,” he said gesturing around. He’d had a peak into the office area when Brian had come out, and it looked like a small version of a CSI center. In addition to the main living room, and the apparent command center, there was the huge kitchenette and several bedrooms with ensuites. The basement was huge and obviously set up for long term occupation. “This isn’t your first rodeo, is it?”

Brian sighed, and then nodded his head. “Freddie and John got some of the worst threats,” the guitarist finally revealed. “Freddie because, well, he was Freddie Mercury. John was targeted because of his children. Thank God we never found proof of a serious plan against anything of the children , but there was a period of time when he got threats almost daily from sick fuckers. And with John having six kids, it was a real possibility that one of them could be taken….it was pretty hard to keep track of all of them at times. John and Freddie were the ones who came up with this plan, actually. Freddie nicknamed the special bodyguards we hired 'Queen's Secret Service.' We’ve just refined it over the years.”

Something clicked in Joe. “Is that one reason John quit playing?” he asked quietly. Joe had grown up in the world of acting and knew well the toll of publicity. “Again, I know it’s really not any of my business but—“

“It is your business, son,” Brian said. He smiled sadly. “Yeah, it was one of the reasons. John is the best father on the face of the earth. Threats against his family – and other things – got to him. It would to anyone.” Joe just nodded in understanding and Brian hugged him. “Why don’t you try to get some rest?”

“No, not until we know something,” Joe said stubbornly. He looked over at a clock on the wall. “Ben has been missing nearly 14 hours. Shouldn’t we have heard something by now?”

“We have actually,” Brian said and Joe looked at him accusingly. “Nothing concrete, but our people are working on it. Let them do their jobs, alright? They know what they are doing, and now our job is to let them do the jobs that we pay them for. We’ll know something soon.” He began to gently rub Joe’s shoulders. “Just close your eyes, alright? *When* we find Ben, he is going to need his friends and you’ll need to be strong for him.”

Joe sighed, but reluctantly closed his eyes, too exhausted to do much else. 

About half an hour later, there was a loud shot from the office area. “Brian!” It was Roger’s voice. The tall man was on his feet in an instant and going into the office. Joe immediately started to untangle himself from the blankets and it woke Rami and Gwi.

“What’s happening?” Rami demanded.

“I don’t know!” Joe said frantically. Before the three actors could get up from the couch, Roger came tearing out of the office and rushed up the flight of stairs to the outside. Brian and John quickly came over to the boys.

“They found Ben. He’s shaken up, bruised, but he’s going to be okay.” Brian said quickly. “He will be okay.”

“Oh, thank God,” Rami swayed on his feet and John caught him up in a hug. Gwi and Joe found themselves being hugged by Brian.

“What happened? Where is he?” Joe demanded.

“We have to go to him!” Gwi agreed, already starting for the door to the stairs.

“No.” And it was calm, quiet, John Deacon who took hold of the tall actor’s arm, stopping him. “Ben is in safe hands now, and being cared for by professionals; he's going to a private hospital for evaluation, and we will know more soon,” he said, his voice steady and completely in control. “Roger is on his way to him, so he’s not going to be alone with strangers. The best thing you can do now for Ben is to wait here. He needs to be checked over, and Roger will be there with him. You’re not going anywhere until we know more about the motivation behind this attack and make sure all the ends are cleaned up.”

“But…” Rami looked at the older men, and all both shook their heads firmly.

“You stay here; we follow the plan,” John said repeated. He looked at Brian. “I’ll go speak with the doctor,” he said, gesturing to the office area. “You keep the boys here.”

For a second, it looked like Gwi was going to try to shove his way past Brian, but he gave in and went back to hugging Rami and Joe. A few minutes later John reported back.

“The medic on the scene said he’s in fairly good shape, all things considered. Nothing appears to be broken. He was roughed up pretty bad in the fight, and may have a concussion, so they will check him over carefully,” John said with a sigh. “But it sure as Hell could have been worse. He is going to be okay. We just need to be patient and wait a bit for tests to be run. They’ll bring him here as soon as possible.”

“Here?” Gwi perked up at the words.

Brian smiled tiredly, waving a hand down one the hallways of the basement. “Fully equipped medical room,” he said. “Its most important that he get to the nearest medical facility now so he can be evaluated, but as soon as possible, we’ll bring him here.” He exchanged a look with John. “And you will stay here until we know exactly what happened.”

“No one is going anywhere,” John agreed, giving the three actors a stern look that none dared to disagree with. “Come on now, lads; Ben is safe, that is the most important thing. But he will need you to be strong.”

Gwi took a deep breath, visibly pulling himself together. Joe and Rami followed suite. “You will let us know how he is?” Rami asked John, and the older man nodded firmly.

“I’ll update whenever there is news,” he promised. He looked at Brian. “Get some food into them, yeah? I’ll go back on the coms.” Another military trait that made Joe’s ears perk.

Dear God, what had these men gone through?

John went back into the ‘office’ area, and Brian made the boys tea and sandwiches that they forced down. “You need to be strong for Ben,” Brian said sternly when Rami initially reused to eat. The actor gave in and finished the sandwich. They then went back to the couch and dozed off and on.

Then it was just waiting for the regular reports from Roger via John. Thank God, tests showed nothing serious. The doctors wanted to watch him for a possible concussion, and he was bruised as Hell, but he was going to be alright. Toxicology reports showed that he had been drugged at some point, but it was rapidly working its way out of his system, and all looked well.

And then, nearly 20 hours after the ordeal had started, the best possible news: Ben had been cleared to leave the hospital, discharged into the care of the doctors and nurses Queen had on staff.

“Ben’s sleeping,” John said with a tired smile to Rami, Gwi, and Joe, looking up from his phone once Roger texted that he had Ben and they were on their back way. “Roger says he’ll kill you if you wake him up.”

And so, when the door to the outside steps opened, and Ben was brought carefully down on a stretcher, there was only the softest of cries from his cast mates. Their Ben was covered in bandages and bruises, but he would heal, and most important, he was safe. The medics settled Ben in a high-tech medical room, hooked up to monitors, and then Rami, Gwi, and Joe all made room for themselves around their brother, each with hands on him, ready to kill anyone who would dare to hurt him again. Soon they were asleep like Ben, all four huddled together.

From the doorway, Brian, Roger, and John smiled.

And from above, Freddie nodded in contentment. Queen Children were still safe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ben's POV is coming up in chapter 2. I meant originally for this to be a one-shot, but it sort of took over, and I received such kind comments, kudos and bookmarks. Thank you!


	2. Chapter Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The rescue, and Ben’s POV. I do not know anything about Ben Hardy’s personal life, so for the sake of this story I have made up that he has just his Mum (no siblings, and his dad took off when he was young).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some heavy angst, but lots of comfort as well!

Ben tried to control his breathing, trying to keep from getting sick. He was in horrible pain, unable to move, and all he could control right now was his breathing. It was his only comfort.

He had regained consciousness bound and gagged, even blindfolded and something like headphones covering his ears. Deaf, blind, and dumb, he thought with a touch of hysteria. He shifted his weight as best he could, and groaned through the pain. He was lying on what felt like a concrete floor, hands tightly bound behind him from what seemed like the elbows down, and his legs felt like they were covered in rope. Just rolling onto his side had taken all the energy he had and the cold from the floor was seeping into his body. He was freezing, but at least it numbed some of the pain.

He was terrified and had no idea what was happening or even how long since he had woken up. It could have been one hour or much more. 

And how much longer would he be here? Wherever here was.

There was a vibration, something he couldn’t hear but could feel, and then several pairs of hands were on him. He bit back a scream, thinking it was surely the ones who had taken him.

But the hands were gentle and the first thing they were doing was untying the gag from his mouth and uncovering his ears. The headphones must have been taped on because there was a pulling sensation around his ears and it stung, but he welcomed it if it meant that he could hear again.

‘—ardy?” Mr. Hardy, can you hear me?” a woman’s voice was asking. The gag was carefully removed from his mouth and he coughed.

“Y-yeah,” he managed to gasp.

“Mr. Hardy, we’re here to help you,” the woman continued, her voice calm and soothing, steadying him. “You’re safe, Sir, we got you. Just try to lie still,” she added as Ben tried to move his head. “No, please, Sir, stay still. We need to get a neck brace on you first. Then I promise we’ll get these ropes cut off. You’re safe,” she repeated. “We’re going to get you out of here and to safety.”

Ben groaned in pain as his head was held in place so a neck brace could be fastened. There were other pairs of hands on him now and he couldn’t resist a slight flinch.

“It’s alright, Mr. Hardy,” said a man’s voice, close to his face, apparently the one fastening the brace. “We got the neck brace on you now. As soon as we get your arms and legs freed, we’re going to roll you onto a backboard. Just hang on a few minutes.” Ben could sense several people working, apparently cutting the ropes, but he couldn't feel much of anything in his hands or feet. He did feel muscle spasms in his arms and legs and couldn’t hold back a cry of pain as his arms were carefully eased to his sides. He must have been tied up for hours because he suddenly realized how numb and stiff his arms and legs were.

“We’re just going to straighten you out as much as we safely can,” the man said calmly. “We need to get your arms and legs aligned a bit so we can check for injuries. I know you’re cramped up pretty bad but we need to do it to see your injuries and get you onto a backboard. Just hang on a few minutes alright, son?” Ben nodded in determination. “Deep breaths, here we go.” Ben had to bite back a scream but the ordeal was thankfully short-lived. He didn’t know he if he was cramped worse from being tired up or from the cold….likely both. 

“Alright just one more bit; we need to get you onto a backboard,” the third voice continued. “Alight, on three everyone: one, two, three!” Ben was rolled gently onto a backboard and he had to bite his lips to stop a cry of pain. His arms and legs were so numb that they felt lifeless, but the rest of his body protested the movement.

"We need bandages, stat," said the man's voice. 'Get braces prepared for his arms and feet.

“Mr. Hardy,” it was the woman again. “There is tape holding the blindfold in place around your eyes. I am going to try some water to loosen up the tape so it won’t hurt so much to remove it. Let us work for a couple minutes, alright? Just keep taking deep breaths, follow me; breathe in….now out. Again, in….and out. There you go.” Ben did his best to match her calm directions.

“You’re in safe hands now, Sir,” said another voice. “While we get the blindfold off, I’m going to take your vitals, okay? And we’re going to start an IV line in your left arm. We’re going to get you stabilized.”

“Yeah,” Ben agreed weakly. A warm wet cloth began carefully wiping his face and eased the tape off bit by bit. A blanket was wrapped around him, bringing warmth, and he sighed in relief.

“Mr. Hardy, did you recognize the people who took you?” asked yet another voice. 

Ben shook his head. “Ski masks...” he managed to say. For about half a second during the fight, he had thought it was such a cliché. 

“Do you remember how many?”

“Two.” Ben coughed, his mouth and throat hurting from the tight gag. 

“Here,” said another woman’s voice, and Ben wondered just how many people were with him now. A straw was placed to his lips and he took a grateful sip of warm water.

“Just one more question for now Sir, do you remember about what time it was?”

Ben frowned. “I think….10:30? Something like that. I’m sorry, I don’t remember—“

“That’s no problem, Sir. We’ll wait on any more questions; right now we’re going to get this blindfold off and then take you to the hospital.”

“What time is it now?” Ben asked. Part of him wanted to tell the lady to just rip the tape off – he was desperate to just see again.

“Just past 1:00 pm,” the man told him kindly. “You’re safe now, Sir.”

Ben tried to work the math…nearly 15 hours since he had been kidnapped. It was unreal. 

“Okay, let’s try this now,” the woman who had been working on his face said. It stung a little, but to Ben’s vast relief the blindfold was pulled away, and he blinked.

He was surrounded by people, but all of them looked at him kindly and were clearly professional. While he was terrified from being kidnapped, something told him that he had nothing to fear from the people around him. To a person, they looked sharp and completely in control. 

“I need to shine a light in your eyes, Sir, to check for a concussion. It may sting a little,” someone said, and Ben obediently blinked. The light did hurt a bit, but it was minor.

A middle-aged woman with long blond hair tied in a ponytail knelt by his head, smiling at Ben, and keeping him focused on her as people who were apparently medics continued their work. “Hey Ben,” she said gently, and Ben recognized her voice as the one who had first spoken to him and who had been working on removing the blindfold. “I’m Holly. I am going to stay with you, okay? You’re safe now, and we are going to take good care of you.”

Ben managed a nod as much as the neck brace would allow. “Rami? Joe and Gwi - are they okay?”

“They’re fine,” Holly assured him, her voice calm and steady. “We need to check you for injuries before we can move you, alright? Do you remember if you lost consciousness at any point? Such as during the fight?”

Ben swallowed hard. “Yeah,” he said hoarsely. “Some…rag… or something…over my face. Made me pass out.”

“Okay, that is to be expected in these situations,” Holly said, and Ben had a flicker cross his mind, wondering just what sort of situations Holly dealt with. “We’re going to start giving you something for the pain now that we have a blood draw, and it should kick in any second.” She smiled at Ben, stroking his hair. 

Blood draw? Ben couldn’t remember them doing that, but guessed it had had been while inserting the IV, which he hadn’t felt either. His arms and legs hurt so bad from being harshly bound, that the pinch of a needle meant nothing.

Sure enough, within moments Ben sighed in relief, his body relaxing and the pain in his limbs began to fade. His eyes stared to flicker, desperate to see but also exhausted. He was vaguely aware that his clothes were being cut away but he was kept warm and covered by blankets so he didn’t object too much. “Just try to relax, Ben,” Holly assured him. “We know what we’re doing and we’ll have you out of here soon. We just need to finish checking for any major injuries before we move you.”

“Deep contusions and lacerations - get more bandages prepared for his wrists - and possible fracture to the right hand,” a voice reported from somewhere above Ben. “Chest and head contusions. Rush the labs. Internal injuries unlikely, but cannot yet be ruled out. Prepare for a full body MRI.” 

Ben looked to Holly and she smiled softly. “Just as a precaution, we’re going to put an oxygen mask on you, alright? You can still talk just fine, I’ll hear you.” She waited until Ben gave a faint nod, and then a mask was carefully fitted over his mouth and nose. “Keep up steady breaths,” Holly advised. “We’re going to move you now to a hospital where we can run some more tests. I and the others will be with you the entire time. You’re safe, Ben,” she repeated kindly, and Ben believed her. 

He closed his eyes as he was secured onto the backboard and then lifted up and carried. The movement made him dizzy so he kept his eyes closed and tried to concentrate on his breathing again. Holly was stroking his hair gently, staying beside him the entire time, talking to him softly and reassuring him. When he opened his eyes again, he was in an ambulance. Holly was right beside him, just as she had promised.

“We’ll be at the hospital in just a bit,” she said gently, explaining things as Ben felt the vehicle start to move. “We need to do x-rays, and then an MRI to check for any injuries that we can’t see.”

“What can you see?” Ben asked, his words slurred with exhaustion. 

Holly smiled sadly, but with also a touch of admiration. “That you put up one Hell of a fight,” she said simply. 

Ben manage a faint smile. “You should see the other guys,” he managed to quip weakly. 

“I have” Holly chuckled softly. “If you ever decide to quit acting, come work with us. We’d love to have you. Mr. Taylor has been praising your name to the high heavens already.”

Mr. Taylor. “Roger?” he questioned, struggling to keep his eyes opened.

“Who else?” Holly smiled. She laid a warm hand on his cheek. “How about you close your eyes, and see if you can rest? We need to run some tests, and since there is so sign of a head injury, you should get some sleep if you can. Doctor tests are pretty boring, and I think you can use the rest.” She kept stroking his hair, soothing him. “You were awake for a while, weren’t you?” she said softly, and it was not really a question.

Yeah, I ….I think so,” Ben ventured. He had no idea how many hours he had been awake, alone and terrified, but knew it had to have been *many*. 

“We’ll be at the hospital in just a few minutes, where we’ll run tests, get you warmed up, and start some really good drugs,” Holly promised. “You just sleep if you can.” She smiled kindly, seeing the fear in Ben’s eyes. “There is plenty of time for questions and answers later; right now, you need a doctor’s care. I and a bunch of other people are not going to leave your side,” she assured him. “And your dad will meet us at the hospital.”

“My dad?” Ben was confused; his father had taken off when he was just a kid.

“Mr. Taylor,” Holly clarified, and Ben breathed a sigh of relief. 

“Dad,” he confirmed, his eyes closing.

*****

Ben awoke to the murmuring of several voices nearby, all apparently giving reports. “Toxicology is clean,” a lightly accented woman’s voice said. “We started him on muscle relaxers with pain killers, and some antibiotics to prevent possible infections.”

“The MRI showed a hairline fracture in his right hand, presumably from the fight, so we have a light cast on, and there are deep lacerations on his wrists and ankles from the rope." said another voice. "None of the muscles or ligaments look to be torn, but they are no doubt strained. He will have difficulty with his hands and feet for some time as the swelling goes down and the cuts heal. His right ankle is particularly sprained; again, likely from the fight. He'll need a wheelchair for at least a few days.”

“Easily done,” said a voice beside him that made Ben open his eyes and look around frantically.

“Roger?” he said, his voice still weak.

“Right here, kid.” And sure enough, Roger Taylor was sitting on the edge of the bed beside him. Ben had to blink a few times to focus, but realized that he was in a hospital bed, slightly elevated and propped up on pillows. One of Roger’s strong hands started to gently stroke his hair and his other hand held Ben’s left hand carefully. “You’re safe now, and I’m not going anywhere," the drummer assured him gently.

Ben tried to automatically move, and grunted at the pain. “Hey, no, just lie still,” Roger said, moving a hand from Ben’s hair down to his shoulder for a light squeeze. “That’s an order, son.” Roger’s voice was stern and Ben did as he was told, sagging back into the comfort of the warm bed and pillows.

“Hey Ben.” It was Holly, smiling at him kindly, and Ben smiled back, relieved to see her. “All the tests are done. You’re going to be fine.”

“Completely fine,” Roger added. He patted Ben’s shoulder. “The doctors want to keep you here for a little while longer, and I’m not going anywhere without you, so let’s just settle in for a bit.” Ben looked past Roger, and saw three other people, who all nodded and smiled at him kindly. Roger picked up a glass with a straw, holding it to Ben's lips, and and the young man took a grateful sip of something warm and soothing. 

“Do you think you could answer a few questions, Ben? Could you tell us what you remember?” Holly asked, her voice still soft and kind. “You don’t have to right now; it can wait a bit if you would rather. But anything you can tell us now would be helpful.”

Ben looked at Roger. “Is everyone else okay?” he asked worriedly.

“Yeah, they’re all safe.” Roger sighed. “You were the only one taken, kiddo.”

Ben nodded his head. “Alright,” he said, taking a deep breath. “I’m afraid I don’t remember much, though,” he looked apologetically at Holly, who just nodded in reassurance. Ben closed his eyes for a moment in thought. “I went to bed, but started getting sick, so I went to the kitchen to get some water. Next thing I knew there were two people coming in through the door of the trailer. I don’t remember them knocking or anything, or any noise, they were just suddenly there. They had on ski masks.” Holly nodded again. “I….tried to fight, but it was really strange….I felt so sick. Then one of them got a cloth or something over my face, and I….blacked out.” Ben shuddered at the memory, and Roger started to soothingly rub his shoulders, his large hands very gentle. “It was really fast. I’m sorry I don’t remember more.”

“You did just great, Ben,” Holly assured him. “Just one more question; do you remember if you felt sick before you went to bed?”

Ben had to think about that for a moment. “No, I don’t think so,” he finally decided. “I started getting a bad headache after I turned in for the night.”

“That’s just fine, Ben, we can work with that,” Holly said gently.

Roger nodded, exchanging a look with Holly that Ben couldn’t decipher, and then turned his attention back to the young man. “Here; try to drink some more of this lovely purred hospital food concoction,” Roger said, his voice lightly teasing as he lifted the straw back to Ben’s lips, changing the conversation carefully. “We’re safe here and you need to eat; even if its hospital food.”

Ben managed most of the glass and then was exhausted just from that tiny effort, his eyes starting to close. “Why don’t you close your eyes for a bit more, alright?” Roger suggested, adjusting a few pillows behind Ben's back and head.

But Ben shook his head. "My Mum," he said simply. "She's....in Canada, visiting friends. Need to tell her--" 

"I've already talked to her, and so has Brian," Roger assured him. "We're keeping her updated and she knows that you are safe. When you wake up, we'll call her together, okay? You need to rest right now, buddy. I"ll call her again while you have a nap and then you can talk to her when you're a bit more alert, I promise." Ben considered objecting, but he was already falling back asleep. "Take a nap; I’ll be right here the entire time,” Roger said. He took a hold of Ben’s left hand and returned to lightly stroking the short blond hair, and Ben quickly dozed off.

When he woke up, he felt more alert, and as promised, Roger quickly got him on a phone call to his Mom. Ben was glad it was an ordinary phone call and not a skype video, because he was pretty damn sure he looked as bad as he felt. Roger and Brian had somehow persuaded his Mum to stay where she was, and Ben was grateful. It wasn't that he didn't want to see his Mum; he damn well did. But not like this. Not until he could stop crying. He made it through the phone call holding it together for his Mum, and then after they had hung up, he started to cry. Fuck.

Ben hated himself, but felt tears start to form the minute he said goodbye to his Mum. He had been eerily calm up to that point, but now it was all hitting him at once. Thankfully, Roger was back sitting beside him on the bed and drew him into his arms immediately.

“I had no idea what was happening,” Ben sobbed softly. “It was so damn scary.”

“I understand,” Roger said, tucking Ben’s head safely under his chin, and rocking him. “Let it out, son. We have the place under locked guard but it’s just you and me here in the room. Go ahead and have that cry. Believe me, I cried, and so did the others when we heard you had been taken.”

That made Ben smile a tiny bit, even as he cried; the thought of tough, famous Roger Taylor crying over anything. 

"Everyone else is okay?" he asked again, needing to hear it.

"Everyone - including you - are safe," Roger assured him. "And we have folks watching over your Mum as well. She is being protected." Ben was a little puzzled at those words but was too tired to say anything. He just needed to know that everyone was safe.

After a bit, Roger helped Ben to wipe his face, and then Roger and a doctor carefully explained his injuries. A cast on his right hand which made Ben grimace; naturally it would be his dominate hand. Deep cuts on his wrists and ankles form the rope in addition to a twisted right ankle that needed a brace for a few days along with layers of bandages. Assorted bruises on his chest in addition to his arms and legs, mostly likely from the fight. The tape used to hold the blindfold and headphones in place had left some marks, but they would heal quickly with the proper ointment. The doctor said he would need medication for a couple of weeks until all the cuts healed and he would also need a wheelchair for at least a few days until he could put weight on his ankle and feet…his bruised wrists prevented the use of crutches. 

“But the good news,” Roger said cheerfully, deliberately changing the subject,“is that if you can keep down some real food, we can leave. And by real food, I mean some that we had delivered from one of your favorite places.” The drummer started to open containers that had been sitting in a cooler as the doctor left them alone.

“You don’t need to—“ Ben stated, but Roger glared at him.

“Hey, you think I’m going to eat hospital food?” The older man gave a dramatic shudder and Ben had to smile despite everything. “Come on, son, let’s eat and prove to these docs that we can get out of this place.”

The bandages around his wrist and the pain made it difficult to eat, but Ben was pretty sure he would die of embarrassment if Roger tried to feed him, and the drummer seemed to understand. Roger had already cut up some of the food for Ben, but then let the actor feed himself slowly as Ben carefully and awkwardly managed to spear some of the Chinese food with a fork in his left hand. 

“Are we going back to the set?” Ben asked after he had eaten a bit. He was tired again just from the effort of eating a few bites.

“Fuck no, we are not going back to the set,” Roger said, his voice tight with emotion.

Ben blinked. “But…where then? I mean, we still have some scenes…” Unless they had been cut. “Shit, the producers are going to be so mad, and Singer—“

“What?” Roger’s head snapped up from where he had been concentrating on cutting up some noodles for Ben’s plate. “Fuck Singer and quite a few others,” Roger said, and his voice was downright scary. Ben had never heard that tone of voice before quite likely in his entire life, let along from the older man who had befriended him since the day they met and made the entire cast laugh with stories. “We’ve already changed the shooting schedule. You and the other boys need some time in a safe place and to be together. We’ll resume your scenes when we are damn good and ready.”

Ben shook his head, starting to shake a little. “But what about—“

“Son,” Roger put their plates aside and placed his arms gently on Ben’s shoulders, making the younger man look at him. “You just got kidnapped, lad. No way are you going anywhere except for a safe place until we know more. And you have some healing to do. Brian is with Rami, Joe, and Gwi, and the plan is that we are all going to stick together. You have a lot to recover from, and you are not going to do it alone or be left alone. Neither are Rami, Joe, or Gwi. Just trust us, okay?” Roger’s intense blue eyes looked at Ben until the young man slowly nodded.

“Good.” Roger leaned forward and placed a small kiss on the blond hair. “We were really scared, son, but obviously its nothing compared to what you went through. It’s going to take some time to recover and we are all going to be with you.” To his endless embarrassment, Ben felt a few tears again, but Roger just kindly wiped them away.

“Hey, screw the doctors. What do you say we get out of here?” Roger suggested.

“Yes, please,” Ben said softly. He really needed to see his friends and not any more strangers.

“Okay, just a few more bites, alright? You need to eat at least a little something, and finish your drink. Then we’ll get the doctor to release you and let’s get the Hell out.” Ben nodded in agreement and did as he was told. An hour later a doctor cleared him for discharge and Ben reluctantly took a pill that a doctor handed to him. 

“It’s just to help you relax,” the doctor assured him and Roger gave the young man a nod, keeping a firm hold on Ben’s left hand as the actor was carefully transferred from the hospital bed to a wheeled stretcher. 

“Use it as a good excuse for a nap,” Roger said. “I’m not going to let go of your hand, I promise. When you wake up, we’ll be back with the family.” 

Family. That sounded perfect to Ben.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 3 may be a while since I have a packed calendar, but it will happen!


	3. Reunion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The boys are reunited.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I made some minor changes to chapter two after it was originally posted. You may want to re-read it. It’s mainly a family backstory for Ben and a few things at the hospital after Ben is rescued. I do not know anything about Ben Hardy’s personal life, so for the sake of this story I have made up that he has just his Mum (no siblings, and his dad took off when he was young).
> 
> Some pretty strong angst (Joe is damn smart and not afraid to face some things), but mostly love and recovery 😊 
> 
> This story keeps expanding (sorry). Looks now like 4 chapters.

“His trailer was gassed,” John said, sighing as he took off his reading glasses after reviewing the report. “Evidence found of a canister attached to the bedroom window, and trace elements in the air. The intention was likely that he would fall unconscious and then could be quietly taken, but for whatever damn reason it didn’t work. Ben was gassed just enough to get nauseous, so when he went to get some water, his attackers panicked when they realized he was still awake.” The older man shook his head. “Amateurs,” he sneered. 

“And then they panicked, and hurt him,” Joe guessed, his voice thoughtful. He had proved to be the most pragmatic of the actors about the situation. It wasn’t that he didn’t feel as deeply, but like the man he was portraying, he was the one could most easily departmentalize. 

“Yeah, most likely. Forgot to leave the fucking ransom note and everything. Thank God they were so stupid that it wasn’t that hard to track them down.”

“Any idea who was behind this?” Joe bit his lip as he saw Brian and John exchange a look. “Who would do something like that to Ben, of all people? And to take him right off the set? That’s insane.”

“Let’s wait till we have something more concrete,” Brian finally said, and Joe was not one bit happy with that reply, but knew it was pretty useless by now to try and get anything more out of the older men until they were ready. They had perfected an eerie almost telepathic bond over the decades and had far more experience with all this Hell than any of the actors.

Joe was about to try again, but then Rami called to them from down the hall. “He’s waking up!” John looked at Joe as the older man returned some papers to the office area.

“I’ll talk to Rami and Gwi, and Roger already knows. Let’s hold back on telling Ben until we have more details, alright? Right now, the less strain, the better. He’s just needs to know that he’s safe.” Joe nodded in agreement and they went to join Roger, Rami, and Gwi who were sitting with Ben.

Ben had been back with them for just over 11 hours, and it was now early morning of the second day. He had been kept asleep since being discharged from the hospital the night before, and although Rami, Joe, and Gwi wanted nothing more than for him to wake up, they understood the doctor when she said that Ben needed some long and deep sleep for his body to start recovering.

It had also made it possible to convince the other young actors to get some sleep themselves. They had first fallen asleep around Ben, curled up in chairs, but at various stages Brian, Roger, and John had persuaded each actor to move to a nearby bedroom for at least a few hours of better rest, and the musicians were also sleeping in shifts. Through the night, at least two people had stayed with Ben at all times while the others crashed on couches or in bedrooms. When morning came, Brian fixed everyone breakfast and then it was just waiting for Ben to wake up.

Even in his drugged sleep, Ben had been restless at times, nightmares already appearing. Rami, Joe and Gwi had also had their own nightmares already, and none of the younger men wanted to be alone.

Each of them had called their families the night before once Ben was back, assuring them that they were safe. Rumors had started from the moment the police had arrived at the set, but at least their families knew that all the actors were safe and staying in a secure area. It had been difficult to stop Rami’s twin, Sami, from heading to England, but Roger had persuaded the teacher to stay home “where you are safe”, and Joe wondered if the Queen Secret Service had now been extended to their families as well.

He wouldn’t be surprised. 

All of them had also talked to Ben’s mom, and that had been pretty emotional. Like Sami, she had been advised by Brian to stay where she was for now, and Roger assured her that as soon as Ben was awake they would get him on the phone to her again.

Now, Joe quickly returned to Ben’s room, joining Rami, Gwi and Roger. John and Brian hung back a bit, not wanting to overwhelm Ben when he woke.

Roger smiled as Ben started to stir, the drummer firmly gripping Ben’s left hand to keep him anchored. “Hey lad,” he said as Ben’s eyes opened. “Good morning.”

“Morning?” Ben looked confused, but then he saw his fellow actors and his eyes lit up. “Thank God you’re all safe,” he blurted out.

“Thank God your back with us!” Gwi cried, and he, Joe and Rami crowded around their friend. Roger released Ben’s hand so the injured man could exchange weak hugs with his cast mates. 

There was a lot of babbling talk, each actor doing their best to smoother Ben with hugs, and Roger eventually had to step in a bit, quietly reminding them to be gentle. Then they apologized and that set off another round of kisses to the bruises on Ben’s face and his hands.

After the young men had had some time together, the doctor, a kind Asian lady named Jace, appeared to check Ben over, and everyone except Roger was kicked out for a bit. It gave John a chance to brief Rami and Gwi on the latest developments, and they were both as upset as Joe that there had been an obvious plot involving the movie.

“Even more reason for you four to stay here for a bit,” Brian said firmly. “We’re getting to the bottom of it before you go anywhere, and this is by far the best place for Ben.”

“No way we’re going anywhere with him,” Rami said fiercely and Joe and Gwi agreed. 

The doctor came back to the living room a short time later, and set them all down for an update while Roger stayed with Ben.

“Ben is talking to his mum right now,” she said. “First, he is doing remarkably well, but now is when he is going to experience some of the worst swelling, and the bruising will also get worse before it gets better. He’s on a heavy dose of anti-inflammatories and pain killers, but still, the next few days will be rough for him. The cuts on his wrists and ankles will take time to heal and we need to change the dressings likely twice a day, which will not always be pleasant even with the painkillers. He needs to stay in bed or in a wheelchair; no exceptions, for at least two days.” She smiled a little. “Mr. Taylor said he would lay across him to keep him in bed if necessary,” and others chuckled little, relieved that there was something they could laugh about.

“But he is also going to be very weak,” Jace cautioned them. “His instinct will likely be to try to ignore everything and want to get right back to filming as soon as possible, and while that is good, he also has to be realistic about his physical recovery in addition to the emotional recovery that ALL of you now need. Every time you tell Ben to eat or rest, I expect you to do the same for yourself. Ben needs all of you to be strong and you won’t be if you get too exhausted hovering over him or forget to eat. Understood?” All five men nodded humbly. None of them wanted to mess with her.

“We’ll start physical therapy this afternoon. Just easy stretching and try to get him on his feet as soon as possible so he can have some independence. The cast on his right wrist will need to stay for a few weeks, but that is not such a big deal. By all means, keep things as ordinary as they can possibly be; watch movies, play games, practice scenes; whatever you would usually do. Myself and a nurse will be on standby and check on him every few hours. You need to support him emotionally and help each other as well.” The doctor gave Brian and John a firm look. “And make sure that Mr. Taylor also has some breaks,” she advised. The two older men nodded.

“Right then,” Jace said, standing up and all the men dutifully followed her lead. “You three fire up the big screen TV in that room and find some music or movies,” she directed the three actors. “You two,” she smiled at Brian and John. “Every hear of the game ‘Cards against humanity’? Prepare to forget the care-free days of Scrabble.”

*****

The next few days passed quietly for the four young actors. Brian, Roger, and John took turns going outside for various meetings, but the actors were more then content to stay together in Ben’s bedroom as much as possible. They watched movies, played games, and talked about everything under the sun except Ben’s kidnapping. That was a subject too raw yet for them. Ben did indeed have nightmares, as did the other young men, and an unofficial schedule ensured that none of the actors were ever alone even while in the safe house. Rami especially proved good at being able to sleep quite well curled up in a chair in Ben’s room, and he liked taking the night shifts, usually with Roger or John, able to hear when Ben became distressed and could gently wake him before the nightmares became too bad.

Ben meeting John had been a pleasant shock to the actor. So had details about Operation QC, and Freddie’s Queen Secret Service. Ben had been rather dazed by the depth of the plans, as had the other actors, but now they realized just how important it was.

A formal statement for the police was prepared, and all Ben had to do was sign it. He trusted that it was accurate and didn’t want to even look at the paper. Talking about the ordeal was rough for Ben, and the other’s understood that it would take time before he could open up to them. Rami, Gwi and Joe read the statement after Ben signed it, and then by unspoken agreement all three stayed with Ben that night, wide awake, hands on their sleeping friend, and ready to kill anyone who would dare to touch the young man again.

Carefully worded statements were released to the press and Rami, Gwi, and Joe posted equally careful messages on their social media assuring everyone that they - and Ben - were fine. The movie studio agreed to work on some background editing and other work that could be done without the four actors. Roger and Brian returned from a meeting with the company looking rather satisfied, and assured the actors that they had nothing to worry about; that things were being taken care of.

Ben healed physically at a good rate, and after two days was allowed on his feet for brief periods of time, moving slowly around the safe house as long as someone held his left arm to steady him. He hated the wheelchair with a vengeance and openly smirked when the doctor approved him to walk a few steps so long as he was supported. 

Everyone knew that emotional healing would take longer for all of them. Rami and Gwi were reading books from the internet on how to help a loved one deal with trauma, and Joe had taken to hanging around the ‘office’, listening for details on the investigation.

It was on the third day after his rescue, when Jace and her nurse were changing the bandages around Ben’s wrists, that the actor looked at Roger who was sitting beside him on the bed. “I think I did most of the damage,” Ben said quietly.

Roger and the medical personal exchanged glances. “What do you mean, son?” Roger asked kindly.

Ben took a deep breath. “I kept struggling to get loose. Then I remembered reading…or seeing on TV or something, that….blood…would…would lubricate, or something, the ropes. And I figured I had nothing to lose so I kept trying to twist free, but then it hurt so bad….And I wait would, and then try again, and again. That made it worse, right?” He had to stop, blinking back tears. “Maybe I shouldn’t have tried….”

Roger quietly wiped Ben’s face with a tissue. “You did nothing wrong, son,” Roger said. “I would have done the same. Fighting is what keeps us going.”

“That is exactly what they train military and police on,” Jace confirmed softly. “You did the right thing, Ben. Sometimes you to have to do some damage in order to solve a problem.”

“It didn’t work.”

“No, but you tried. You kept fighting. You did the right thing.” Roger assured him.

Ben nodded, but it was clear he didn’t really believe the words. “Have I thanked you yet?” he said to Roger, trying to faintly change the subject.

“Only 1 million times,” Roger said. “which is platinum status, by the way. Not bad,” the drummer said, lightly teasing. It made Ben smile.

Unseen, Joe, Gwi and Rami had been in the hallway and overheard the conversation. Gentle Gwilyn and Rami both paled a bit at the image of Ben hurting himself to try to get loose, but Joe narrowed his eyes. He squeezed Gwi’s shoulder and looked at Rami. “I’ll be right back,” he said. 

“No, I’ll go with you, and Rami can stay here with Ben—“Gwi began, keeping the unspoken agreement that none of the actors were ever alone, but Joe shook his head.

“Only going to the loo, darling,” he lied in his best British accent. He took off down the hallway, but then went to the living room. Taking a deep breath, he opened the door to the office area, which none of the actors had entered yet.

John looked up in surprise when the actor entered. Nothing had been said that the area was ‘off-limits’ or such to the younger men, but still, they had avoided it, preferring to stay with Ben. Now, Joe looked around and realized it was indeed a command center worth of CSI or a small nation military. In addition to John, there were two other people, a man and a woman, sitting at a bank of computer and tables. There was also a visible second door, which confirmed suspicions Joe had been brewing since the ordeal started that there was a second entrance/exit for the ‘Secret Service’. Very orderly indeed.

“Joe? Is everything alright?” John asked, getting up from a desk filled with papers and a large compute screen. Joe just looked straight at the older man.

“Would the police have found Ben?” 

John blinked. “What?” he said, and there was a tone in that one word that Joe immediately pegged as being evasive. He was an actor, and knew vocal tones.

“The people who took him were such amateurs that they botched the kidnapping, they panicked, and they didn’t leave a ransom note. Would they have left him there to die?” Joe’s own voice was now flat and utterly cold. “Would he have been found if it wasn’t for your group?”

The former bassist seemed to consider his words for a moment. “The police were no help at all,” he finally said carefully. 

Joe sucked in a breathe, but nodded; it was the answer he had expected. “Who took Ben? Why?” When the older man didn’t answer, Joe couldn’t help bristling a little. “I know you’re not telling us everything, and part of me accepts that; you obviously know what you’re doing. But I think sooner or later we better know everything.” Joe paused, his eyes suddenly wet. “Ben is blaming himself right now; says that he hurt himself by trying to get loose.”

The blond woman who had been working at a computer sighed and then softly cursed as she stood up. “I think is time for me to talk to him, Mr. Deacon,” she said. She smiled at Joe, and something clicked in the actor’s memory of the little that Ben had spoken of.

“Holly?” he guessed. When she nodded, Joe enfolded in her in a hug. “Thank you for being there with him,” he whispered. Holly hugged him back and then looked at John. 

“We need to stop these thoughts right now,” she said, and John nodded. 

“I agree, it will be good for Ben to see you again.” Holly nodded and then left. John looked back at Joe, saw the stubborn look in his eyes that eerily mirrored that of the retired bassist, and then the older man gestured to a nearby chair. Joe sat and waited while John sorted a pile of papers. “Holly is former special forces, specializing in hostage rescue,” John said almost casually. “She knows how to help Ben.” Joe nodded in agreement and waited for John to continue. He had no intention of going anywhere, and John seemed to understand.

“We all know about the difficulty and controversy getting the movie made,” John said, his voice completely neutral. “What is not well known is that one reason it was so difficult was because of all the threats. Against Brian, Roger, myself, and our families, and then anyone else who associated themselves with the movie…. especially you four.”

“Why threats?” Joe folded his arms, determined to hear this out.

John shrugged. “Crazy people, hate-filled people, take your pick. It looks like right now that a couple of psychos thought they could make some quick money by kidnapping an actor.” John pulled out a paper, and Joe saw that it was an aerial photo showing the line of the actors’ trailers. “Ben’s trailer was at the end; the easiest to access. And they likely thought that since he is the youngest and smallest of you four, that he would be the easiest to grab.”

Joe had one very important question. “Have you found the bastards responsible?”

“We’ve found the two who performed the actual attack. Still determining if they were truly acting on their own or not, which is one reason you are all staying here until we know more.”

Joe’s eyes flashed. “Well then, I’ll start by killing the two that you have found,” he said, his voice utterly serious.

“You’ll have to stand in line. Roger called dibs. But its irrelevant,” John said firmly. “We need to know if this was truly a scheme just between the two of them or if there were other people involved. Once we’ve determined that, they’ve will be turned over to proper authorities and all will be kept quiet. They will pay for what they did, don’t worry.”

“But—”

“Ben needs to recover; he doesn’t need revenge right now, and neither do you,” John said sternly. “I know you are focusing on Ben and what he needs, so keep in mind that all we need to tell him right now is that he is safe. That’s what important for him at the moment; he has more than enough to deal with right now, as do you all. And besides, he doesn’t strike me as the type who wants revenge.”

Joe considered that carefully. Ben was cheerful, upbeat, and loved kids and animals. He was the last person who would seek out revenge. “Just assure me that they will pay for what they did,” he finally said.

“They will. And anyone who may have given them the idea. And know that you and your families are being protected now. No one will ever be able to try something like this again.” John cleared his throat. “Roger will talk to Rami, and Brian will talk to Gwi when the time is right, and tell them what I’ve told you. Keep it between us for now. Holly will let us know when Ben is ready to hear it.” Joe nodded in understanding.

“And now,” John gestured at the papers on his desk. “You should get back to the boys, and I need to get back to work.”

Joe remained seated, carefully regarding the older man. “You really are ‘M’, aren’t you,” he mused, referring to the code name of James Bond’s boss, the mastermind overseer of the British intelligence agency in the 007 universe.

A small smile tugged at John’s lips. “That was one of Freddie’s nicknames for me, yes,” he admitted. “Though I always felt I was more of the ‘Q’ type, figuring gadgets for James Bond or for the amps.”

“No, I think you do ‘M’s job quite well,” Joe reflected. He looked at the pile of papers and pulled out the aerial photo of the set. “It did strike me as odd,” he said casually, “that our trailers were out on the end of the encampment like they were. Usually main actor trailers are in the center, so its easier and quicker access to wardrobe and such. But they put us out at the edge, far away as possible from the set. Very strange.” Joe was watching John’s body language, and the actor could tell the older man was listening to what he said. 

“All sorts of reasons for people to be around movie sets, and all sorts of reasons for them to *not* be around a set,” Joe continued, his voice now confident. “I’m sure the same goes for concerts, and while I don’t know much about music concerts, I do know movie sets. This is my world. I should have a look at statements that were given by people who were there that night.”

John paused, and then shoved an iPad across the table.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, Joe is now being groomed to be the future "M" mastermind of the Queen Secret Service. He and John really do have a lot in common!


	4. Return

After the scrapes on Ben’s face healed enough to be covered with some makeup, he posted photos on his social media to prove that he was indeed alive. John took a picture of all four actors with Brian and Roger, and it soon went viral. Ben was rather overwhelmed by all the well-wishes he received. There were some more carefully worded statements released, and to the outside world, all seemed well. 

Inside their secure area, Ben was still struggling, as were Rami, Joe, and Gwi, but it got better each day. Ben had developed a fear of the dark, which Holly said was completely understandable and lights stayed on at all times in every room. It turned out that there was an upstairs, a small cottage above the safe house, that the actors had not noticed the day they had arrived since it was partially hidden by hedges and the garage. The doctor suggested that Ben be allowed upstairs as soon as it was deemed safe, feeling it would be good for him to see the outside. Ben also had bouts of claustrophobia and went back and forth between craving the security of his bedroom, and feeling trapped. Everyone was patient and understood that it would take time for him to overcome what had been done to him.

The investigation spearheaded by John – and Joe –uncovered two additional people involved; those who had planned for the actor’s trailers to be in such vulnerable locations, and they had been dealt with quietly and efficiently. Several people had been fired from the studio for allowing such a set up – there was no proof they were involved in the kidnapping, but still, they had not followed proper protocol. John, Joe, Brian, and Roger all agreed after a meeting with producers that the set was secure and all responsible for the kidnapping had been found. No one had told the producers everything that the members of the Queen Secret Service knew, but still enough had been carefully spoken of that the movie studio was livid, and had tripled its security and changed many protocols. 

Satisfied that everyone involved in the kidnapping had been dealt with, it was deemed safe for the actors to leave the high security basement, and spend time upstairs during the day, although they returned to the downstairs bedrooms at night. Ben still had no desire to go outside – not that Roger was inclined to let him - but would happily sit in the living room of the deceptively old-looking cottage during the daytime and play games, watch movies, or just chat. 

With all those involved in the attack turned over to authorities, Roger, Brian, and John agreed it was time for actors to been seen in public, and it was decided that Rami and Joe would go the set with Brian one day and start to ease bit by bit back into the outside world. Gwi, Roger, and of course John stayed with Ben, and none of them relaxed until the other men returned. The next day they mixed it up a little, and Gwi went with Roger to the set while Joe and Brian were deliberately spotted by people at the movie studio offices.

Ben, Rami, and John stayed secure. 

Two weeks after the kidnapping, with his ankles mostly healed and a smaller cast on his hand, Ben was able to move about comfortably and declared that he was ready to try to leave the safe house for a short time. Roger frowned at the notion, as did Rami, and Gwi, and an argument nearly started, but Brian, Joe, and John sided with Ben, pointing out that it would also be a good PR move for Ben to be seen. Holly and Jace were the tie-breakers, both declaring that Ben going outside in perfectly safe environment was a good idea. A photographer that Queen trusted got photos the next day of Ben at a distance, walking with Roger, Joe and Rami: “on the grounds of an undisclosed secure location, where Mr. Hardy has been recuperating from his ordeal.” 

“It is good to be outside,” Ben said as they walked on a path. He was nervous, but knew he was protected as well, and it was good to be outside. He had never been one to be cooped up inside and there was a marked change in his recovery once he felt the sun on his face again.

After that successful venture, and a fresh outpouring of support for the actors and the film, the next day more photos appeared of Ben with Roger, Gwi and Brian: “out for a drive. It is believed that Mr. Hardy is staying at the estate owned by Roger Taylor, but that cannot be verified,” said the newspaper.

“Yeah, where are we?” Gwi asked at breakfast the next day. Every time they left the safe house, the drivers took such twisted routes that Gwi honestly thought once that they were about to enter the Chunnel. Brian and Roger just shrugged at the question. Joe exchanged a hard look with John, and the older man sighed a bit, motioning to the office, and muttered something about maps as he and Joe disappeared inside.

“It’s really good they are spending time together,” Rami said cheerfully. Like Joe, he had felt a bit adrift at not being able to spend time with the person he portraying while Gwi and Ben had so obviously bonded with Brian and Roger. Freddie had been so famous that there were no end of stories and interviews that Rami could draw upon for inspiration, but Rami had felt bad that Joe could not meet John, thus making John a much more difficult character to pin down.

“Yeah, really good,” Roger muttered privately to Brian as Joe and John vanished. “As much as I love him, I can't believe that that snot-nosed American kid is soon going to be telling me what to do.”

“Be nice,” Brian sighed. “Remember, kids and grandkids pick our nursing homes and that one now has the ultimate power of attorney after John.”

Roger shut up, and was really, really, nice to Joe when he reappeared. Joe just smiled, savoring his power.

‘Hey, you twits,” Ben pipped up from where he was resting on the couch. “More tea?” he made grabby hands and Gwi fetched him a fresh cup.

“Don’t think this service will continue forever,” Gwi warned him. They had all been advised that part of Ben’s recovery would be treating him as normally as possible.

“Yeah, but I am going to milk it for all its worth while I can,” Ben cheerfully said, batting his blue eyes and slugging back his tea. “And now, help me outside would you, dear?” Ben had fallen in love with a small garden area near the cottage and garage. They all loved it, in fact, and most of their days were now spent outside in the garden when the others were not making public appearances.

Ben had insisted that Rami, Gwi, and Joe return to filming, and while reluctant, Rami had thrown himself into his scenes. There wasn’t a great deal of group scenes that could be filmed without Ben, but Gwi and Joe with were with Rami giving him support and all three actors now had very public, and private, bodyguards. Every night they were escorted back to the safe house and kept Ben updated on progress on the film and the latest set gossip.

“I think I need to go back soon,” Ben said one night, three weeks after his kidnapping. He, Rami, Gwi, Roger and Brian were in a fierce game of Scrabble, while Joe was getting tutored by John. The other three actors weren’t quite certain what was going on, but Joe was sure spending a lot of time in the office with John, and when Joe wasn’t in the office or at the set, his nose was usually buried in an iPad, and muttering about codes and plans.

“There’s no rush, son,” Roger said firmly, clearing wanting to put the matter aside. He disliked Ben being out of his sight for more than a few hours and loathed the prospect of Ben going back to the set.

“But I want to,” Ben said. He put down his Scrabble tiles and everyone paused. “It’s what I do,” he tried to explain. “It’s my normal.” ‘Normal’ was a buzz word that was being used a lot at the safe house. Everyone knew that Ben had to go at his own pace, and if he said he was ready to try something, then it had to be allowed.

“I’m not saying that I think I’m in any shape to go in front of the cameras,” Ben continued reluctantly. “But….I want to go to the set. I *need* to go back. I’m healed up enough to move around just fine now.” Ben knew that no specific details about his kidnapping had been released, and he was grateful. The lacerations on his ankles were healed, and thanks to constant care, his wrists were nearly healed over as well. There was still a light wrapping of bandages, but now it was more to protect his skin. 

Roger looked ready to argue but Brian cleaned his throat. “I think it’s a good idea,” he said, giving Roger a stern look. “Ease back into it. Perhaps a visit for a few hours, and see how it goes.”

Gyi and Rami also looked hopeful. “Everyone has been asking about you, Ben. There’s a lot of people who would be thrilled to see you. And you know you won’t be alone for a second,” Rami encouraged. Even Gwi nodded in support.

“Roger?” Ben was looking at his adopted father. It was clear what Ben wanted, but also obvious that he felt he needed permission from Roger. The drummer finally sighed, rubbing his temples. He knew it wasn’t right for him to prevent Ben from taking this step. Keeping Ben in the safe house when he wanted to leave was not healthy progress for Ben’s recovery. 

"Under certain conditions,” he finally allowed. “Making positive that things are….safe.” He exchanged a look with Brian, and the guitarist nodded in understanding.

They are,” Brian said. 

“Then it’s settled,” Ben said, determined.

A few days later, Ben visited the set, accompanied by all the actors, Roger, Brian, and of course the now visible (and invisible) security. He was a little overwhelmed at all the people rushing to welcome him back, but knew he was safe, and kept a smile on his face. Fortunately it was a cool day, and he had on long sleeves to cover the light bandages on his wrists. He really didn’t want details of his injuries ever getting out to the press. Roger used the excuse of the cool day for them to stay just a couple of hours, and then there was another deliberately long and complicated route back to the safe house, just in case any press were trying to follow them. 

After that, Ben insisted on returning the next day, and did some rehearsals. Before long, he was back to work, although he had a new wardrobe mistress, assigned by the Queen Secret Service, who made sure that Ben’s wrists were kept covered and protected. Roger made himself a very menacing presence at all rehearsals and filming and never left Ben by himself for a moment.

Soon they were back to London for the final shooting, and the four actors found themselves in a new safe house, rented by Queen and extremely secure. John, as they expected, returned to his own home and stayed out of sight, but he and Joe talked nearly every day, and there were several times when Joe went to visit him and always came back exhausted and clutching files, laptops, or iPads. He seemed to have some study project going on.

And then they filmed the last scene, and everyone was hugging and crying. They had completed not just an amazing film, but gone through Hell together, and come out stronger.   
The four actors and the three musicians had a private wrap party at the London safe house, John quietly making his way there in honor of the occasion. There were lots of tears, but also lots of love and they knew even that even though they had to part ways now, they would always be together as much as possible. 

And John made it clear that from now on, each of the actors would have discrete, but very capable, bodyguards wherever they went.

“You’ll soon forget that they are even there,” Roger shrugged. “Lord knows I do.”

“Yeah, but, still seems odd,” Gwi mussed.

“Will we even know who they are?” asked Rami.

“Not usually, nope,” Joe said. “All part of the plan. There’s a rotation, so just live our lives but know we are protected.” He exchanged a smile with John. “Queen Secret Service at its best.”

“Oh, and by the way,” John smiled at Ben. “Holly has asked to be assigned to you. But don’t get too flattered. She said she reminds you of one of her baby nephews. And that she’s always wanted a Golden retriever puppy. Plus, I’ve known Holly for years and between she and her husband, they know about 100 ways to kill you with a toothpick. Don’t get any ideas.” 

Ben clutched his heart in fake dismay, and everyone laughed. It was good to laugh and know that the entire extended family was safe.

Freddie nodded in approval.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, everyone, for all the kudos, comments and bookmarks!
> 
> Apologies that this was a short chapter, but the story just seemed to come to a happy end :-)

**Author's Note:**

> This started as a one-shot, but now looks like four chapters so we can see Ben's POV and the reunion. Thank you SO much for all the hits, kudos, and kind comments.


End file.
